Where The Stray Cats Dwell
by Gauntz and Eflwyn
Summary: His eyes, are red, bloodshot, yet filled with the same feline grace that I, too possesed. The man I loved, and had still loved, yet my agressions toward him, made him reflect my anger. Some people, may say 'opposites attract.' We were both polar opposites, physically speaking. But mentally? We were the same. The same. Rated M for Blood, Smut, Drugs and Darkness. Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

**Late chapters for Unglaubliche Gnade. I sincerely apologize; It's writer's block, and I've severely jinxed the situation beforehand.. **

**So in the meanwhile. More yummy dark things await.. ~**

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The 'situation' was becoming worse, each day, each passing moment that he had managed to breath. Heracles Karpusi, a friend of mine was slowly descending, cascading down a stairway towards madness; Purely, battery-juiced madness. He sulked around the ancient ruins of Athens at the time, and I had been residing in Athens for awhile, assuring myself thoroughly that the man I came to know so well, had died, somewhere, in a corner, huddled among the already dead. Apparently, this wasn't the case.

"Sadiq. Sadiq Adnan." His bloodshot eyes peaked behind the pillar, staring hard, his mouth, slightly foaming, and his dark, stained hoodie was filled with... Questionable items. "I could recognize that face from anywhere." He drawled, stumbling down the ancient staircases, almost running toward me. "What the.." His dirty hands covered mine, rubbing against my slight beard, hushing me while he began to rub at my chest with his head; Like a cat.

"Karpusi." I breathed, my arms wrapping around him, the filth seeming to crawl onto me.. "Let's get you home; Bathed. Cleaned." I pulled at his wrist, dragging him toward my apartment, luckily, it being nearby. We climbed up the stone steps, it being difficult for the.. Influenced Greek man, and we both hurried to the small, crammed bathroom of my apartment. Without a word, I removed his hoodie, and quickly left the cramped space, shutting the door behind us, and I heard the audible click of the lock.

What.. Was I doing? Bringing in a drug addict into my house..There were only sympathetic thoughts that had flitted around in my thought-processes, until the situation began to be weighed, by a more rational side of my brain. Sure, he had been my childhood friend, who apparently disappeared, during my last year of college. He had been studying to become a veterinarian, and I? A doctor. I had now operated a clinic in Athens, offering free aid to addicts to ease... a false choice, making a stable income that fed me comfortably.

Everything seemed to spiral, at the last few months of college...

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I make my first chapters small, because..

They act as an introduction. It's a habit.

Don't forget to review/favorite/follow/ and all that goodness!


	2. Chapter 2

**Swiggity swog, another case of writer's block. Well, if anyone's noticed, there's been errors in a lot of my chapters/stories.. -_- I have a bad habit of writing at 12:00 - 2:00 in the morning.. ._. It's like my inspiration time. Thus, sleep errors. Sorry about that. **

**~Gauntz and Eflwyn~ **

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_"I don't need you." His green eyes turned toward mine with an intesne, visibly burning rage. "You don't need me? Look at yourself. Disgusting.." I was about to embark on a heated, mocking rant, in a desperate attempt for Karpusi to stop. Stop this madness. "Sadiq... I'm serious. I don't fucking need your 'help' anymore, got it?!" He yelled, banging his fist into the college dorm's walls, shaking our bunk bed a tad bit. I could feel the tremor, since I was on the top bunk, and Karpusi, underneath. "Fuck you." I returned his gesture, licking my lips in victory; Yet it was my arrogance that scared the cat away from home. I cared about the man; I truly did. Even if Heracles couldn't see that, I surely could. "Is it the sisa? Don't tell me you got it for a euro. I.. told.." God. His abuse was becoming dangerous, he was violent and it was thoroughly expressed in the numerous scars that decorated his body; And mine. I had patched them sufficiently, both on mine and his. I had been going to Medical school, for a reason after all. "What about.. your.. Dream?" I let my head peak more over the edge of the wobbly bed, and I saw the usual gruesome sight. "Don't. Look. Bastard." I heard muttered, yet I persisted. Needles, needles, everywhere laid across the bed like thorns on a rose; His bed sheets were painted red from multiple blood stains. The manager of the dormitories, and the prefect were, fortunately, kept away, due to my status as Student Council's Vice President. No one knew an...addict lived there.. If they did, God knows what they'd do to him. Send him to a house? If he's lucky, he'd be forced to go to rehab.. But the economy nowadays? He'd be on the street in no time. Well, he was already on the street. _

"God." I breathed as I heard the slow waterfall of water dropping down. "What.. did I do..No.. What do I do?.." I sighed; I might turn him into the authorities, but he'd be back on the streets. Again. Maybe.. He could stay for awhile; I could keep my eye on him, make sure he doesn't touch those god forsaken needles. The creak of my bathroom door became audible, as my wet friend, his dark brown hair, and stained hoodie awkwardly sticking on his back. "Weee.. Broo.. Sadiq... Mm it's me Karpusi. 'Member meee.." He slurred, approaching me with open arms, as I backed into the living room, collapsing into my red couch, decorated arabesquely with fine golden designs. "Mmmfph. You smell the same." He nuzzled into my chest, making me shiver, as I lay still, my arms by my side, like a statue. "How many years has this been? Two? Three?.." He completed my statement whispering, "four.." into my ear. I was 26, while he was.. 27 then. His skin was still wet inside the hoodie, so I lifted it up, accidentally throwing aside his shirt, as he yelled in alarm, rising above me. "D-Don't look." His arms were crossed, shielding a small part of his chest. "Don't look.." He breathed, his chest rising and falling like a wilting soufflé. It was slowly bleeding, filled with cuts, scars, and multicolored bruises on every inch. "Stop it...stop." My eyes wandered around, analyzing every inch, dirty, and scarred. "Let's fix you up, wait here." I immediately got up, lifting the surprisingly thin man, quickly pacing towards the medicine cabinet located in my bathroom; It was like a mini fridge above my bathroom's sink, deeply set within the bathroom's white walls, holding my various medicines, and inside, was an AID kit. My hands quickly grasped the plastic box, with a plain red cross, and I returned to the living room, finding Heracles with his shirt on, stubbornly crossing his arms. "I'm not going to be treated by you." God, he was extremely stubborn. I used to have a foul tongue, but when I was separated from Karpusi, it had gradually slipped away. Until now. "Bend the fuck down and let me treat you!" I yelled, and I saw a smug grin on his face. "There ya go. The real Sadiq, I knew so well. There you are." "Hmph." I walked toward him, forcing his face into the cushioned couch, and stripping him of his shirt before, and tossing it to the ground. His bones seemed to awkwardly jut out of his thin skin, making his spine feel like a million sharp spikes. He must've been depraved of food, and strength, rendering the man powerless. "No fight in you yet?" I grinned, the same, joking affections returning. "It's not fair, beating a weak man. Or is it you like things like that...?" He muffled into the couch. "Hell no, why do you think I'm a damn doctor?" I opened the plastic box, unwrapping the alcohol wipes, and covering his back generously with the searing alcohol, as he gave a small yelp. "So, what were you up to, these for years?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "Mm... smoking sisa, needles. The cheap stuff." "That's fucking unhealthy." I voiced truthfully, and patched his back with bandages and on the most desperate wounds, gauze. Luckily there was no sign of persistent oozes and infection, and the need for antibiotic ointment was rendered as overkill.

"Want me to fix something up? We'll get you thoroughly examined tommorow back at my clinic." I suggestes, setting the kit on my wooden, brightly ornamented coffee table. A bright red persian rug with intricate weaves was underneath, making the room colorful, in contrast to the white walls. "Sure." He seemed silent, monotonous in a random switch of thought, or as I've dubbed, "Philosophical Mode." "I've got some leftover Spanakopita I had at a restaurant. I'll heat that up, and for now, you have to rest." "Mmm." He grunted in a simple reply, and I walked into the kitchen, and grabbed the simple cardboard-like box that the food had been stored in, and let it sit in the microwave for A few monutes, until it chimed. "Smells nice." I heard Heracles mutter, once again, in boring, monotone. "Yeah. Here ya go." I threw a fork into the box and set the steaming pile of filo flakes and spinach onto the wooden dining table, also very ornately decorated. Karpusi finally, and unsteadily, raised himself from the couch, still shirtless, leaving behind his pile of clothes... And other 'items,' and inmediately shoveling in the food without a word.


	3. Chapter 3

Karpusi had finally finished his food, casually tossing the fork into the metal sink, and the cardboard box into the trashcan. "Bye." He waved behind his back, and started walking toward the door.. Before Heracles turned the knob, I had sprinted towards him, grabbing his fist. "No. Don't go, yet." I breathed, and his mysterious green eyes turned toward my deep brown, in sorrow. "Why do you not want me to go? It is neither to my benefit nor yours, is it? Why this is a house housing only one soul, if there are two, it will create chaos, think about two olives in a bowl, one black another green; The black one tastes the same as the green one, but you've already eaten feta, and so you are full, thus rendering you powerless against any attacks, wouldn't that mean the second olive is gone?" I knew Karpusi long enough to understand at least a sliver of his ramblings. Eaten olives or not, I was not a damn olive, and neither was he. "You're still hurt." He attempted to shake me away, but my grip was steady, and I could feel his bones in his knuckles. "Let go." He screeched finally mustering the strength to pull away, but I had pushed him against the wall, the still wet dark brown hair shielding his olive eyes. I wasn't going to loose him, not again. Four years, I hadn't seen him, and all feelings that slowly faded away seemed to unearth. He couldn't go, not yet... My hands gripped his shoulders as I gazed into his eyes, and Karpusi let out another tired sigh. "God damn. I'll let you 'treat my wounds,' then, okay? Just give me food. And get your damn hands off of me, you brute." My hands dropped from the shoulder, slightly going limp, and I gave another sigh, tired, like Karpusi's. I couldn't send him to a home, but maybe rehab. Would he do it..? Probably not... What if he stayed with me, and went back to college...?"Well? What are you going to do..?" My thoughts were suddenly interrupted with his sinister catlike purr. "I can't stay here and mooch off you, Turkey." Ah. He called me by my nickname he had given me the first day we met. "Mm. But I cannot have you going back to needles, Greece." I returned the playful jest, even if my statement was incredibly grim. "Yeah." Heracles seemed out of breath, drawing breathy sighs, unhealthily wheezing at times, and slurring in his speech; He probably had developed asthma... I had discovered, among a few years at the clinic, that sharing needles was common among needle users. Sharing needles meant HIV. I easily connected the dots, which rendered me breathless. Greece might have HIV.

Fuck. Tomorrow, I had to get him to the clinic, and check him immediately. Then.. What if he did have HIV..?...

"Mm. You should take a shower too, Sadiq." He purred, interrupting my silent monologue. "It's fine, I already did.. I was going to rent a movie and buy some snacks.. Until you came along, that is." The feeling of finding Heracles, essentially rescuing him, felt like adopting a stray cat. Karpusi had loved cats, after all. They seemed to follow him wherever he went. A cat magnet. At least he wasn't a chick magnet. That, would be hard to keep track of.

"Ah. What should we do..?" Karpusi said listlessly, and calmly walked toward the nearby couch, reclining like a Roman. I sat in the chair nearby, and leaned back into the cushioned seat. "Nothing but talk of recession on TV. More deaths, more.. Everything." I sighed. There had been an increase of users at the clinic, which made my work tiring, and filled with a one-sided pity. "Mm. Sit here and talk? Well, there's nothing I could talk about..." Heracles sighed, still reclining. "Got a girlfriend?" The question was sudden, quick, and I hurriedly nodded no. "No, I don't. Actually, I haven't dated in a long.. Time.." I caught a grin. "Me too." Heracles breathes, his voice like whistling wind. "I got by, anyways. My body proved very... capable of my lifestyle." He was so casual with his words.. And what did he mean, my body..?

He couldn't have...Karpusi wouldn't do something as vulgar as that. For drugs.

"Your body?" I peaked an eyebrow, confused. "Yeah, my body. Didn't sell it like the rest of the lot did though. Donations." He winked, the half closed eyes seeming odd, and drowsy. I let out a breath of relief. I knew he wouldn't do that.. "What's up with you? How's your doctoring coming along?" He asked. "Pretty good, opened a clinic and all. Nice life, I guess." I shrugged. "Well, actually I started living here a few months ago. Saw your clinic alot." "Really? You should've come in." I reminisced for a moment. Why didn't he come in? I could recognize his face anywhere.. Was he purposely ignoring me..? What did I do?

"So, what'd you mean by donations?" I asked, curious and still somewhat musing at his previous statement. "Ah, I talked and they gave me money." He replied, his voice still floating like wind. "Ah." I nodded in understanding. "Um.. I have some popcorn if you'd like. Wanna watch a movie? I got an old one." I suggested, as an awkward vril of silence drifted upon our conversation. "Sure." Heracles nodded, and leaned back a bit, stretching and arching his back like a cat, while he gave a small yawn. "Want me to do it? You've been doing everything. Like you're my maid or something." Heracles monotonously inputted. "Whatever you say. Popcorn's right near the microwave." I immediately stood, and began to dig through numerous DVDs until I found the one I was looking for. "A Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn," Karpusi seemed to admire the ancient, and I didn't have any history-documentaries at the moment; Maybe this would do.

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Count these as pages. Not chapters. They're too short to be chapters, but my reason for small chapters is; I'm on my phone and can't text fast; And I want to release 'chapters,' asap. Yup.

Don't forget to review!


	4. Chapter 4

I heard some noises coming from the kitchen, the metallic swing and robotic noise echoing from the microwave. Small popping noises were audible after a few minutes, and the mouthwatering scent wafted from the kitchen as I inserted the disk, and turned on the TV, as the movie began to play. "Geez, Sadik. Wait a second." He entered the living room, brown bag in hand and joined me in my seat on the couch, still maintaining quite a distance away. It was as if he was forcing himself to stay in the mere apartment.

I pressed play on the plastic remote, as artificial, as Karpusi's mock happiness, and the movie played its opening, all in black and was the music, eerily cheery, splits of a rebellious princess; A romance..

None of us had enjoyed it, no matter how much of a classic the film was.. My eyes kept darting towards the others, my feet, the ceiling, and Heracles seemed to do the same. Luckily, time had passed quickly, and the bag of popcorn was now gone, and as Heracles stood, going to throw away the used bag, I flipped off the switch.

I took a deep breath, trying to recollect myself, before the greek could see.. He could never know this side of me; The side that worried for him..

That loved him.

Without another word, he had emerged from the kitchen, easily slipping into the space beside my arms, as if he were to nestle against my chest, but not quite; It was hesitation that drove me to lean closer, my breaths becoming halted, stunted in the other's presence. His green eyes look towards me, slowly opening and closing, lush long eyelashes cascading upwards, then down.. "What now?" He leans back, a vacuous grin spread over his face, as I bit back my lip in the thoughts that had resurfaced. "What now...?" Karpusi threw his hands back, his olive eyes transfixed with an almost deep, immortal gaze. "I.. I don't know." My resolve was to keep calm at any circumstance around him at all; Who knows what he could do.. Or drive me to do.

"You don't know, do you..?" From relaxed, he had risen towards a drug user's psychological aftermath. Confusion. Paranoia. Irritance. "What I do know, is we're going to my clinic tomorrow. We'll get you checked out.. And.." I struggled to say the last words, knowing how possessive they seemed. It was as if I had found something, that had belonged to me, so lost, the tantalizing thought seeming to possess me. Yet, this was not to be, nor will it ever be. "Check? I.." He pierces me with his gaze, cold, sharp, fierce. A cat about to scratch me. Harmless, yet tugging at any's heart.

"I don't need you, damn it." Heracles mutters under his breath, and I had noticed his hands had made its way towards the collar of my t-shirt. "I don't... Need you.." I hears the soft, whimper again, a large outlier from his previous state beforehand. "Like hell you don't need me. You look half dead." I looked at the skeleton shown in front of me. 80 pounds, in a few years; A shadow of the prideful man he used to be.

I tried to be strong, the feeling unbearable. I needed him, and like his addictions, I had rehabilitated, moved on.. But with another taste, I was drawn deeper, into this dark well of addiction. Heracles repeated the same words over and over again, beating into my rising and falling chest. "I don't need you.." His eyes were still red and bloodshot, yet I could not feel the teardrops, no matter how thin they were, on me..

I gingerly extended a finger, brushing a tear off of the face, perfect, save a few scars; But scars can always heal, can't they? I had not consciously realized what I was doing, and he had held a grip on my hand.. His eyes move toward mine, in a dance of fate, of passion, and pride. "I don't want to stay in this damn place; I don't even need you... But.." "But what?" I ask, my thin patience already wearing away. "Let me finish.." He continued, slowly, wistily, as calm as the wind again.. Unlike a few minutes ago. His behavior was surely arising as a subject of debate in my more logical areas of thought; Perhaps it was the repercussions of his addictions, withdrawal.. What if.. He too, was holding back his thoughts and perhaps, feelings. I shook it away before any other estranged conspiracies could coagulate. "Your house is nice. Your acts are generous." He holds a thin, stick finger on my lips before I can speak. "I'm not complementing you or anything." He looks away, and speaks. "I'll stay; But I don't need you."

'But I need you?' I was tempted, tantalized with the whole thought of its reciprocation. "Alright then." I said, instead, with a pointless smirk. "Then you won't take me to your clinic?" "What?" My hands palm at my temples, obviously in distress and worry. "God damn it Karpusi. Won't you listen..? I'm worried for your health." "That's for me to decide." He replies, still looking away.. "I have a reason." I hear him mutter under his breath, low and breathy, perhaps not meant for my ears..

A reason huh?

There's always a reason; A reason to this, a reason to that. Was there a reason you ran away? Disappeared on me for four years? Left me before I could say another word?... Were you selfish, did you not care?

I could only hold back passionate tears, like gathering clouds in rainfall. How sorrowful, that I, am, pitiful and without pity. I am selfish, for now I have rediscovered the sudden urge to treasure him again, and hold him dear, something he'll never grant.

Just like he did before.


End file.
